The present invention relates to an apparatus for separating, into individual groups, a series of upright flat contacting items arriving in a continuous line on the conveyor of a processing machine, particularly a packaging machine, by means of a separating pusher inserted between the items.
Various forms of apparatus of this type are known. When the movable separator of such a known system is guided in a rigid or unyielding manner, it can happen that a flat item, which may be a cookie, for example, will be contacted by the descending separator precisely in the center of its upper side and could thus be damaged even if this upper side has a rounded configuration.
In order to avoid this drawback, it has been proposed to mount the separator on a movable carriage to be pivotal in the direction of advancement of the items and to provide spring means which hold the separator in its centered position. This type of apparatus has been found to be satisfactory if the item has a well rounded upper side. If the upper side of such an item is flat, however, it may occasionally be damaged in spite of the possibility for the lower edge of the separator to be deflected.